


How A Helpful Librarian Saved The Day

by AnnieVH



Series: SwanFire High School AU [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Library, Rumbelle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 04:16:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7207493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieVH/pseuds/AnnieVH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. Gold goes to the library to try and get help with his son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How A Helpful Librarian Saved The Day

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: MaddieBonanaFana

Gold had a very clear memory of himself as a child, sneaking into the back of a library, just as he was doing now. You see, that was were they kept the good books, the ones that were so controversial and explicit and inappropriate that they had been banned from his school. He couldn't have been older than thirteen, and just like every first-time criminal, he just knew everybody was looking at him, well aware of what he was trying to do. Much like he felt now. It went to show that you never really outgrow shame.

He tried to be stealthy, but Gold was sure it just made him look ridiculous. All the effort he was putting into looking disinterested and casual was bound to attract attention. The Storybrooke library was so small that even with only four other people inside (counting the new librarian) it felt crowded. Good thing that he had cultivated a reputation for disliking people and being – what was the word they were using now, again? - unpalatable.

In moments like this, he wished he was better with computers, instead of having to rely on Baelfire to do everything. He couldn't simply ask the boy to google parenting tips now, could he? But attempting to do that by himself proved to be too overwhelming. The outdated collection of the library would have to do. At least books didn't require a thousand updates before you could open them.

At the end of the last shelf, a stack of ten or so books seemed to be just what he needed.

_Raising Teenagers The Right Way_

_Handling Moody Teenagers_

_How To Discipline Your Children Without Scarring Them For Life_

There! Who needed the the internet? Those books were clearly old, but he was running out of options.

Things were so much easier when Bae was just a child and thought the world of him. Bae was always talking to him, telling him about his day and his adventures. Now, he couldn't remember the last time they sat down to talk without another fight erupting. Sometime in the past, things had gone wrong and they just never got the pace back right again. If they didn't end dinner at each other's throats, it was considered a good day.

No, no, the old books would have to do. Couldn't make things worse. Gold reached for the tallest shelf, only to find out that – shocking! - it was out of his reach, by an inch! Not wanting to go to the librarian for help (she was shorter anyway, what could she really do? Give him a lift?), he stood on the tip of his toes. That was quite an endeavor, given his weak ankle, but he leaned heavily on the cane and stretched out his arm.

“Do you need help, sir?”

Gold startled, knocking the whole pile of books in the process. The heaviest one hit him on the head before landing on the floor.

The little librarian came closer. “Oh my god! Are you alright?” she asked, placing a hand on his arm.

He shrugged her off and knelt on the ground to stack the books before she saw them. But she was fast by his side.

“Don't worry, sir. I can do that.”

“I got it.”

“Really, that's my job. You should check your h-”

“I said I got!”

Gold didn't shout, he never had to. His tone was enough to make her hands go still and allow him to pick the books up himself and throw them on the closest shelf.

“Should I...” she started, a little insecure. God, she looked like a child. Where did Cora even find that girl? “I mean, if you'd like to check anything out-”

“They're not what I was looking for,” he said, getting back up and ready to run away. His ankle slowed him down, though, and she was back on her feet much faster.

The librarian attempted to smile at him. It didn't falter when he didn't smile back.

“Right,” she said. “These are horrible anyway. Unless you condone corporal punishment and never ask your kids what's wrong.”

Gold had to scoff. “It's cute that you think parenting is as easy as that.” He asked Bae what was wrong all the time, only to be told, rather aggressively, “Nothing!” That when he didn't flat out snap, “God, dad! Get off my back!” Had teenagers always been that infuriating? Maybe it was just a result of too much technology and violent movies.

Or maybe it was him. Maybe he was doing everything wrong. What did he know about being a dad?

The librarian nodded. “You got me there. I don't think we've met yet. I'm Belle French, I just took over.”

She extended her hand.

He shook it, reluctantly. “I'm Mr. Gold,” he said. Miss French looked like the kind of person who'd refer to you by your first name if you gave her the chance. “I'm the pawnbroker.”

“Bae's dad, yes?”

Gold searched her face for any trace of judgment, but found her to be irritatingly friendly. Not that that would stop her from going behind his back and gossiping about what a terrible father he had to be to come looking for parenting tips.

“I should go,” he announced.

“Of course, I shouldn't keep you,” Miss French said. To his annoyance, she followed by his side, and she was in a chatty mood that morning. “Bae is a wonderful kid. He drops by sometimes.”

“I know,” Gold said, though that was news to him. Baelfire was not a big fan of books. Reading had always been challenging. So was math. So were most school subjects, come to think of it. Gold stopped in his track. “Wait, no. What is he doing in a library?”

“We've got some vintage comic books he wanted to check out. I told him they were in terrible condition, but he didn't mind. He even fixed some for me.”

Gold nodded. That made more sense.

“He's been checking out our art section lately,” Miss French continued. “Did he apply to any art schools?”

“Architecture. Though I'm not sure what he'll do when he realizes there's a lot of math in those.”

“Oh, in that case, you're in luck! I just got a new book on that. _Introduction to Architecture_ , or something of the sort.” She smiled, apologetic. “I'm more into the classics, myself. But it does look promising. Kids like it when you show interest in the things they like.”

Gold narrowed his eyes at her. He wasn't sure if this was only a very subtle way of mocking him and his poor parenting skills. By now, she probably heard the gossip about his unruly son and their rather loud fights. He thought about telling her that his son was grounded and, as such, shouldn't be getting entertainment of any sort. And furthermore, he didn't require her help, or her opinions.

But then again, he was desperate.

“I suppose that wouldn't hurt,” he admitted.

Miss French opened a radiant smile and grabbed him by the hand. “Wonderful! Come with me!”

 

 


End file.
